


Time (Un)Changed

by LeaderOfTheShadows



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Time Travel Fix-It, snarry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2019-07-20 10:06:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 21,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16135022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeaderOfTheShadows/pseuds/LeaderOfTheShadows
Summary: Hermione blowing up a Time Turner was just the icing on Harry's cake. Severus Snape falling in love across different timelines was something else altogether.#Snarry #TimeTravelingFixIt #mustread





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! If any of you feels a bit like Harry, who I'd say has his soul "asleep" in the first chapter, don't you give up just yet, alright? Change is only a matter of time and perseverance, just as it is for Harry, in this fic.
> 
> And now I sound like a fortune cookie, but I really mean it. (And must admit, I actually love fortune cookies, they are just addictive!)
> 
> XOXO  
> LeaderOfTheShadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "me wo samasu" (literal meaning: opening your eyes BTW) drink, as far as I know, doesn't exist. But maybe it's a wizarding drink, who knows? XOXO

"There is a Japanese drink, called "me wo samasu", did you know?" Harry's fellow Auror, Gary asked. "Do you know what that means?"

"No," Harry just replied, not really paying attention to Gary, while he had a more important task: like, who knows, writing his report on his last raid. In other words, doing his job he was paid to do.

He was desperately trying to word "the bitch-ass-big monster" in a more civilized way, but his brain wasn't working properly, feeling foggy in the morning. Or maybe it wasn't connected how he was before his first coffee just yet.

Maybe he was under the weather lately or something.

"It means waking up. They call this drink that because it's rumored to be so strong, you reconsider your life choices even after drinking one cup. Of course, it might be just for those people so, who are born without the natural alcohol intolerance like some people in Asia are, but I've always wanted to try that drink."

"Maybe you should," Harry found himself saying. "You could just Apparate there after work, even today, and try it."

 _And leave me finally alone._ But he didn't add that out loud to his credit.

"However!" Gary went on babbling. "I think you should be the one who drinks it, now. My life is fine. But you, Harry, yours isn't."

"Thank you for saying that," Harry couldn't help but grip his quill a little bit tighter, hearing that. Truth to be told, he was so busy trying to stay alive during the war, he never got the chance to consider he might not be a good Auror.

Or, sitting at a desk every day, at least. He was too hyper for that. The part of being an Auror where he had to protect magical people was interesting enough, and he was good in that, but then, writing reports and having Kingsley as his boss - not really good on his nerves. 

It was literary so boring he was getting closer and closer to a nervous breakdown because of it. It was unreal.

He hoped, however, that no one else noticed, and if he just ignored it, it would just go away.

"Harry, all you do is work. And then, I like Ginny, I really do, but she isn't your type either," Gary went on, however, making him now completely stop writing the report, just to state firmly.

"But she is my girlfriend!"

"My point exactly," Gary smiled at him. "So what do you say, why not have a drink with me in Japan this evening? Or maybe you do, and I stay sober so I can Apparate us safely home? This drink might be a potion, after all, I've always wondered, and now you could be my lab rat to see if it really is…"

"No way," Harry just said.

"Maybe you deserve to be miserable," Gary then just shrugged very theatrically. "Maybe Harry Potter was this boring wizard all along, who fits his current circumstances perfectly."

"Maybe I am," Harry defiantly said, knowing Gary too well to argue. It would only give his co-worker ammunition if he got into a verbal duel with him.

Not to mention, Harry hated how everyone had an idea who Harry Potter should be. It's not like he said he was an adventurous person or anything!

"Maybe that's why your parents are dead. They'd rather sacrificed themselves just to not spend one more day with their so-so boring baby," Gary flashed a cruel grin at his direction.

And Harry just sighed, returning to his report. Once, a lot time ago, he'd be irritated by that comment, but now? Gary was in a way right: Harry was now an old man inside.

He didn't even care if someone insulted his parents anymore. He survived a war and lost friends as well as people who he didn't even know, yet they died for him. What was a Gary or ten in comparison?

Yet, if he was this unreachable, nothing seemed to get to him, only… only stress. Last week, when he got home, and Ginny just asked him a simple question, he snapped at her. It wasn't what she deserved, and Harry felt utterly bad afterward, trying to avoid her ever since.

Maybe, if this said drink existed, Harry would take it, and he'd open his eyes in a fully different world? To a different life?

Unfortunately, not even magic could arrange that, he thought. He was wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Hermione is a smart Hermione in this ficlet, and has some acting skills too. Just putting that out there. For some reason. XD

When Harry went to visit Hermione at the Unspeakables' office, and there he had found the bushy-haired witch busy in work, just as always, but then, a very bad premonition captured him, and doing dangerous work as an Auror for a time, he knew not to ignore it.

He didn't even ask Hermione what she was doing but acted straight away, and threw up the biggest shield he could conjure first, then stepped up to her desk to draw her away from it as fast as he could.

When he got there, he could see Hermione's almost panicked expression, as if she just realized there was something wrong, and he could barely spare a glance at her desk and see there was a Time-Turner on it.

In fact, they barely got a few feet away, when it exploded with a bright light enveloping them: even with Harry's shield, it felt like hot waves of energy washing them over.

"Oh, Harry!" was all that Hermione could say, apology in her eyes. At that time, Harry couldn't understand it. But then, when he was one moment standing in the Ministry, and the next, he was in Hogwarts, next to the Forbidden Forest, and apparently… taking a walk holding Lily Evan's hand was when he truly freaked out.

Okay, no big deal, he tried to calm himself. Hermione was the smartest witch of her time, and she'd known Harry went missing and the circumstances too. She'll make sure Harry will get back to his time, within a blink.

"Oh, Harry, you look like James Potter!" then Lily said, yet it wasn't…

"Hermione?" Harry asked back, shocked. In novels, when heroes travel back in time, they lose consciousness and wake up to a totally new situation. He wished he had at least that chance, not just morphing into… his dad, apparently.

"Of course I am," Hermione said, not realizing yet how she wasn't herself. "Do you have a concussion or something, Harry?"

"I'm fine. Apart from the fact that you look eerily like my mother and how we aren't supposed to be here."

It took Hermione two seconds to summon a small ornate mirror with a spell and check Harry's words out, just before she turned deadly white, and muttered.

"This isn't good. Not good at all."

"Figures," Harry only noted, a lot calmer, if not indifferent. It's not like his life wasn't shit already. What was a little time-traveling, ending up in his father's body, risking changing anything so he wouldn't even be born on the side then, really?

"Oh, Harry, I'm Lily Evans!" Hermione stated then, looking at him. "And you're James Potter."

"Apparently," Harry nodded. As smart as Hermione tended to be, sometimes she did lose her talent for thinking in stressful situations. "So what are we going to do to fix this?"

"I'm going to… motion sick-" Hermione couldn't even say anything before she emptied the contents of her stomach on Harry.

Now he wasn't just screwed but also covered in vomit. Had he known he's going to end up like this, he could have just taken up Gary on his invitation for strange Japanese drinks, probably having similar results in the end, no?

But now, it was too late to ponder about that. Or, rather, like 20 years early. The irony of the situation almost made him smirk.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going back to my roots with this fic, Snarry is that for me. Hope you guys like the ship as much as I do. XOXO

It's been a week since they invaded Harry's parent's life, and ever since Hermione made the library of Hogwarts her home, and it fell to Harry to bring her food too, she was so busy trying to figure a way back, yet without any result to speak of.

And as Harry could pretend to be James Potter, given he knew Siri and Remy well, and was sort of even glad to see them again, he still had to avoid them like plague, trying to change fewer things after how they already managed to mess up the timeline.

If their stay was permanent, Harry Potter will never be born, he knew that for sure. After all, he liked Hermione, but he could never think of her _that_ way, and he was even more disgusted by the fact that it was his own mom's body she was occupying so.

However, counting back, Harry figured it wasn't as if he needed to worry about his existence at least for 2 years, given that they were still at Hogwarts, being seventh years now, with Hermione, instead of the Potters.

He still was greatly uncomfortable, and running into none other than the young Severus Snape himself, who drew his wand without question when it happened, taking a dueling stance, and Harry couldn't persuade himself to do the same.

He also avoided Snape the past week, knowing fully well that if he didn't act hostile towards the future Potion Master it will be suspicious if not else, yet still not being able to act the part.

Knowing now Severus Snape's full story, he still had nightmares about the man dying. There was no way he could willfully hurt the man now, even if that would probably earn him and Hermione more problems later on.

"What now, Potter? Without your entourage to back you up and laugh at your immature jokes about my appearance, you aren't even brave enough to attack me?" Snape now eyed him with the intense stare that was the exact same the man will have as a Professor. "I mean, you surely not that demented to guide yourself into dreaming you can take me one on one without a wand or are you?"

"I have no reason to fight you," Harry said, trying to turn the corner and disappear before Snape got back to himself from the shock of James Potter not even verbally assaulting him.

He had no such luck: Snape was now cursing him instead. Harry threw up some shields - being an Auror and a natural in Defense, that much he could even do without a wand. Not that James' wand would have done any good to him anyway, but he wasn't telling Snape that.

Then, just when he got rid of Snape's following two or three curses too, without even thinking, only with the motion of his hand, now the Slytherin wasn't attacking him anymore, but staring at him.

"What's wrong with you, Potter?"

It was almost funny. Snape figured something was up even before Sirius or Remus, James' best friends.

For one second, Harry lost his sense of not changing the future. He turned into a complete lunatic, feeling sorry for Snape, and how his whole life turned out, and how he died just before he was finally free to really leave his past behind.

"You haven't taken the Dark Mark yet, right? Don't do it," he told Snape, then realized how he was still in James' body, and how Snape's eyes grew almost as big as plates hearing that, so rather than an explanation, he just decided to disappear to the corridor he came from, rather than trying to come up with an excuse why James Potter would know about the Dark Mark, or care for Snape, that matter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four, chapter four, chapter four! *dancing* Hope you don't all hate this fic! Some hate is okay, but not from everyone, you know what I mean? Haha. XOXO

His action towards Snape might have been strange, but to his big relief, Snape surely thought it was a part of an evil plan or prank on the part of James, and he left Harry alone.

As Harry did the same with Snape. Until… he had the misfortune of being there after a class (which he still had to attend to keep the timeline at least somewhat intact, if he and Hermione were ever going back) when Sirius and Peter decided to have fun at the expense of Snape.

They knocked the books out of his hand, and while Peter poured his ink all over them, Sirius was busy cursing Severus with a spell that made Snape smell like he hid a bunch of rotten tomatoes under his cloak, if not something decaying.

"Snivellus, we are doing you a favor," Sirius stated, and no matter how much Harry loved him, for a beat of a second, he really hated the man, if for not else, that nickname alone. "This way, you will be forced take a bath at least once a week. Or, my mistake. How long was that you last took a shower? I've already _forgotten._ "

To Snape's credit, he did manage to repel the ink from his books and curse Sirius back, even if not badly, but seeing that made Remus draw a wand as well, his face not promising any mercy towards the Slytherin.

It was only lucky Harry now wasn't James, and Peter didn't know the simplest of spells, and of course, how Snape was good with spells all his life.

Still, it went ugly real fast. Harry did send a Patronus when no one was watching, to the closest teacher which was Slughorn, coming to the Great Hall for dinner, most likely.

But the Professor still didn't appear when Peter straight on punched Snape, like a Muggle, and Snape's bleeding nose distracted the future Potion Master enough just to lose his magical balance dueling Remus and Sirius alone.

And, Sirius wasn't even sending a smelly curse away from his wand either, annoyed how Snape could take them for so long without even breaking into a sweat.

Only when Harry already stopped the curse did he realize it was a bone-breaking one, and how Sirius didn't even think of sending it twice. To Remus's credit, he didn't attack Severus anymore, once it was clear they had the upper hand but didn't do anything to stop Sirius going overboard either.

"James?" Sirius asked then, unsure why Harry clearly just protected Snape, if not to curse him even more badly, which Harry wasn't doing either.

"Get out of here," Harry only told Snape, ready to deal with his "best friends" later, when Snape wasn't there, and therefore was "safe".

He didn't count on Snape not even budging, only gathering himself from the floor.

"I don't need your pity, Potter. In fact, why don't you try to curse me too? I could use a laugh right now, seeing Gryffindorks try to perform any good magic."

Harry did note how in this mutual dislike, Snape was just as much as at fault as the 3 behind Harry, but still.

When he was younger, and Snape was his teacher, and he insulted Harry, it was usually at Potion Class and costing on average 20 points from Gryffindor by the end of that double-lesson slot. 

So, he didn't notice this before, or he just wasn't just his 20-year-old self he was now, but before, he didn't think Severus was this funny.

Now, however, all he could do was: throw his head back and laugh. He was still laughing when Lily - Hermione - came up to him, and led him away from the gathering by the hand as if it was Lily Evans wanting some alone time with James Potter, but in reality, was to announce: they were going home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you risk your future for a person's life? Harry has to deal with that choice, and I can't condone him for what he's trying to accomplish. XOXO

When Gary teased him about having a boring life considering he was the "savior" of the wizarding world, he surely didn't mean to tell him to travel back in time, risk not only his life but their whole world, and even defeating Voldemort in the future.

Not leaving straight away when Hermione was waiting for him, but instead sneaking into the Slytherin dorms with his father's Invisibility Cloak, was exactly that, a huge risk, and still what Harry did.

Then, he had to fight Snape too who wanted to curse him badly when he just appeared out of thin air in his dorm - luckily only Severus was there, so Harry could spell the door shut and try to talk to him.

"I know you don't trust me, and you shouldn't," Harry started, when he managed to disarm the Slytherin, and Snape was forced to listen to him. "But I'm telling you one thing: don't join Voldemort. You are smart enough yourself to see how is that a mistake, no matter how you don't trust me."

"You won't tell me what to do, Potter," Snape only said, but his eyes were telling Harry he was wondering hard why James Potter would do any of this. "And if you are afraid I should gain more power than you, I have news: I have already surpassed your pitiful level."

"Right," Harry just ignored the comment, because Snape's wand in his hand told a different story, but he didn't want to point that out. "As I've said. Don't do it. I'll be back to myself tomorrow or even tonight. But power is not everything, you should know this the best."

Snape now just gave him an even more threatening stare.

"And if you still join," Harry said, thinking it wasn't going well. "Then do trust me on one thing and if you ever become the Headmaster of Hogwarts, have blood replenishing potion and snake antivenom at your person all the time."

He was thinking how if Snape had that, in the end, he could have survived like he managed to save Arthur Weasley before.

"Me, the Headmaster of this school? No matter how this is clearly yet another prank, Potter, you're delirious to believe I'd fall for something like this."

"Well, whether you believe me or not, is not my concern," Harry turned to the door to leave, spelling Snape's wand on the floor where the Slytherin could later collect it, but not before he left.

"And just so you know, there are plenty of types of snake venoms, one antivenom won't cover it all-" Snape was shouting at him, and Harry just smiled, only stopping for a second to tell.

"You'll know what type of snake I'm talking about when you get there."

At least, if the young Snape wasn't believing a word he said, he was listening to Harry. So maybe, in the future… but he really didn't dare to hope. And it was terrifying that the future still didn't change, and Snape should die, but so was the idea of his home being gone or totally transformed when they got back too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snape lives and will continue to live for a very long time if it's me who's writing so don't stop reading just yet, after this chapter! XOXO

True, Hermione did take Harry's blood to get back, saying they did manage to travel 20 years back because Harry was Master of Death, and his magic mingled with power the Time-Turner already had, but she even managed to transport them back to the office, and precisely to the time they left. 

Harry was never this amazed by her know-how before, even if he always thought she was the smartest in possibly the whole Ministry.

"You mustn't tell about this to anyone. Any of my research is highly secretive and I'd hate to destroy your memories when you got to spend a little bit more time with Sirius and Remus, Harry, but…"

"I have never told anyone about what I've seen you do in this office, and this time won't be an exception either," Harry said quickly. He didn't want to part with his memories either.

"I do trust you," Hermione smiled. "Now go home, I'll tell Kingsley I needed you for a project, and spend some time with Ginny. Doctor's orders."

"And how do you know it's really our time and we didn't affect anyone or anything?" Harry asked, because sure, the office of the Unspeakables seemed the same as ever, even the paperwork packed so high on Hermione's desk threatening to tumble down, just as if they cast a Tempus, it told them they were back, but…

"I have been working with this Time-Turner for quite a while. And meanwhile it's powerful, Harry, changing time requires even more power, especially that we went back 20 years. Think of all the lives that would have changed if we really changed something! It requires tremendous power to do that. Most likely, everyone just forgot that we were ever there, just as Lily and James that they didn't have control over their bodies for a while. That would be in the nature of time: correcting faults in its flow by the least amount of power, like some people forgetting some information. Besides: I have a checking spell to make sure I got back to the correct timeline. This is our home, Harry, trust me."

Which, coincidentally, answered Harry's unspoken question too: so, Snape either forgot as well or didn't choose to follow any of his advice.

But, knowing Hermione and realizing there was no way she was wrong and abandoning hope was different.

Harry had to go to Snape's grave first to see it with his own eyes that they were indeed back, and how his warning the Potion Master didn't change anything.

True to the bushy-haired witch's words, the gravestone was still there, and the numbers and letters on it were welcoming Harry with the same unforgiving feeling: he managed to lose Severus Snape's life now twice.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There, I said Sevvie will be saved. He really is. XOXO

If someone wanted to have Time-Turner experiments, Hermione was the one to do it in the Ministry.

If someone broke into a house with magic, the Aurors were called. So, by extension, Harry knew how to break into the Unspeakables' office, if he, let's say, wanted to steal a Time-Turner from Hermione's locked desk.

Not steal, only _borrow,_ for one project and then put it back, not wanting her to get into trouble because of him, he cautioned himself. Plus, Hermione's protecting spells were bound to be a tad bit difficult than the usual standard, but still, he was willing to take the risk.

When Gary asked yesterday what "project" Hermione was using him for, Harry almost felt sorry how he couldn't wipe "Time-Traveling, what else" into Gary's face. And now, breaking in surely wasn't expected of the Boy Who Lived either, but too bad that he probably can't go bragging about it to Gary either, given it was a _crime_.

It strangely felt normal too. Sneaking around illegally and risking his livelihood for was something he believed in. Only, this time it wasn't losing House Points if he got caught, he might be sent to Azkaban for this, although it wasn't as scary any longer, without the Dementors these days.

But still, he'd prefer to not get caught. Or, at least not sneaking in. Maybe, if he already saved Snape, it didn't matter, since he was Harry Potter, after all, and he had doubts they'd imprison him for very long, and a little bit of time spent in prison was still worth saving a person from meaningless death but… how about not getting caught in the first place, Harry?

Once he cracked every protection spell and cheated his way through yet another hundred or so it seemed, and froze the alarms Hermione must have added just for extra measure, he didn't have much time to waste any longer - it was getting close to dawn, and he was afraid that any Unspeakable should turn up for work early and find him.

So he took the damaged - but by now fully repaired - TT around his neck, and started his magic. He was going back to Snape's death, no question, and drag the man back using the new spell Hermione created with his blood when they got back from the past, a bit modified by Harry into a ritual that required even more of Harry's blood, but he was saving the man.

He had to, no matter what. Snape saved Harry so many times that Harry owned to return the favor, if only once.

And then, he was standing over the bleeding out Snape, once again, but now he was a steeled Auror and he expected this, unlike when he first was in the situation.

Quickly, he was about to take out the vials he bought with himself in a magically extended bag, rushing, but he didn't find it under the bandages he also bought for the wound.

"My… pocket," however, Snape grabbed his arm. "Just… can't… move"

And, when Harry did reach to his pocket, indeed, there were the vials he told the young Snape to have, and Snape _did have_ them, only, at the brink of death, and possibly paralyzed by snake venom he had no power left to get them.

It was still a wonderful feeling that Harry wasn't forgotten, and Snape, in the end, trusted him enough to take a chance with carrying the vials: even if Harry wasn't sure whether he was ever truly believed.

But, by then, Snape's color was a bit returning, and he seemed to breath more easily.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, but I need to move you through time, even like this," Harry said, taking the man's arm around his neck, and lifting him up - though, by that time, Snape had helped his efforts by barely, but standing up, and the wound on his neck was bleeding still, but Harry conjured a medical shield for it to stop further blood loss until they get home.

"It was you in the past," Snape also seemed to regain speech. "And now you're messing up the future as well. Why for the sake of Salazar would you do this? For me?"

"Will have this discussion with you once you aren't bleeding out and I'm not risking my neck by traveling in time without any permission, how about that?" Harry answered, still supporting the taller man's weight mostly, so he spelled Snape featherlight before turning to the time-readjusting spell, not even giving Snape any chance to answer, stepping forward through the spell-opened-dimension-gate to step forward to the future, never letting go of Severus.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things become a lot more clear in this one. Severus, however... is acting strange for some reason? And Hermione? She manipulated Harry and kept spying on him with some spell this whole time, didn't she? *gasp* I only forgive her because now Sev is back if you ask me, haha. XOXO

Harry was shocked to return safely with Snape, almost thinking he did it, and then… simply turning to - meet Hermione at the office where not even the lights were on.

"Harry, you're back. I have sent for a Healer already, so until then, Mr. Snape-"

"Hermione, I'm so sorry," Harry started, but to his surprise, he must have misjudged Hermione's expression before, because she answered very calmly.

"Harry, do you remember? We had to bury an empty coffin for Snape. We never found his body and assumed it was because some Death Eaters took him for revenge or for their burial which is by fire. But… Don't you think it's strange I mess up a project so badly it blows up? And that I took you to the past but didn't wipe your memory or had at least make you take an Unbreakable Vow not to use that information you've learned in the past and about my Time-Turner in any way? Or… the fact that you got so easily into my desk?"

"It wasn't that easy!" Harry protested.

"But it would have been near impossible if I tried to stop you," Hermione said, nodding at the Healer arriving, who was now treating the very grumpy-looking - but silent - Severus, forcing him to lay down on a conjured bed too.

"So, you're saying you wanted me to save Snape?" Harry just now grasped how Slytherin of Hermione this whole thing was.

"Me? Harry, some Unspeakables work with time in a way you can never even imagine," Hermione just smiled. "And they noticed there is some kind of a hole in time, and how something must happen or else we'd have terrible, altered-time consequences. But it took them 2 years to figure out it was Snape and you had to be there to save him."

"So, I wasn't supposed to die, then?" Snape just asked, making Harry think he almost sounded relieved.

"Not only that but Harry had to get you," Hermione announced, which made Harry look in the other way, avoiding the looks Snape now was giving to him as if he knew about any of this crazy story the bushy-haired witch now was telling them. "We've tried other… solutions in the past, but nothing worked, and then comes the first trial with Harry, and you not only listen to his advice like you did to no-one's before, not even Lily Potter's, but you also don't fight him dragging you to the future, like you did others, saying you'd rather die than to mess up the time…"

Harry almost blushed at the way Hermione presented the facts and wondered how many times they had failed before involving him when the Healer announced Snape was free to go, and to everybody's surprise, the Potion Master now managed to scramble onto his own feet, and ask.

"So am I really free to go then? Anywhere? I'm not arrested by the Time-police and kept in a cell because I'm not supposed to exist?" he asked Hermione, who just said.

"Yes, but-"

"You should definitely NOT go anywhere like this!" the Healer declared. "Especially not Apparating in this condition, even if you're healed, you need weeks of bed-rest if not more!"

Actually, by then she was talking to the thin air Snape left behind, Apparating with a loud crack, and disappearing.

"I thought you can't do that in the Ministry, just as Hogwarts," Harry muttered, because sure, now that Snape knew what was going on, he didn't need Harry's help anymore, but still, he was two years to his own future, and even if healed, freshly injured, and… not that Harry would admit this, but maybe, just maybe Harry was looking forward to talking with the man.

"You forget, Snape is the living Headmaster of Hogwarts again," Hermione smiled. "And that is the only person who can Apparate in Hogwarts as well. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he went to the castle. It's his home."

"Minerva might get a heart attack, meeting him in the corridor."

"Not in our timeline," Hermione said, and then, when Harry just turned to her, surprised, she just shrugged. "I mean… we _had to_ investigate the future a bit as well, to understand why our timeline was broken and to figure why we couldn't save Snape and it had to be you… Don't worry, everything is going to be fine. But I'll now have to ask for the Time-Turner back if you don't mind."

Harry tried to imagine Hermione moving to the future just as they did to the past and spying on Snape to figure how the Potion Master survived and he couldn't imagine the scene at all, so he gladly gave up the small necklace to the bushy-haired witch.

"Remind me why you're dating Ron again?" he only mentioned, but then, Hermione just laughed.

"After work like this, it's actually nice to only have Ron around whose biggest concern is what's for dinner and telling me everything about how his day went. Since obviously, I cannot tell him about mine. Nice and easy is sometimes a good thing, honestly."

Harry couldn't help but wonder why his nice and easy with Ginny still didn't feel quite that good then. They never had any arguments, and he knew he loved Ginny, of course, so that was something, but then?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Severus is so annoyed by Harry Potter that he lets the truth slip? Why has he been avoiding everyone, but especially Harry, I wonder?
> 
> A big thank you for all those who read, kudoed (is that a word?), commented, bookmarked, opened, ... this fic! You guys make me inspired! XOXO

Harry first thought to give time to Snape to adjust to the "future", but when he hasn't heard from the man in 2 months, he decided to go and look for the man himself.

McGonagall was more than happy to see him and announce: indeed, Snape was living at Hogwarts, but not even House-Elves were allowed to enter his personal quarters without his explicit permission, and that Snape would never leave said quarters nowadays, not even for the sake of eating.

Harry wasn't entirely calm when he raised his hand to knock. It almost felt as if he was a student again, coming to the Dungeon for yet another set of detention, but this time he wasn't.

"Minerva, I'm fine!" Snape's voice called out, and he seemed irritated. "I've told you, I'm busy working! Now would you-"

"I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else," Harry just told the still shut door.

There was a moment of pause, until Snape recovered, and the door conveyed his message.

"Potter! Get lost this instant!"

At which point, Harry felt he had enough of conversing through a channel where he couldn't even see the murderous looks he should have been getting from the dungeon bat so he went ahead, disarmed all the wards he could, broke down the rest, and kicked in the door with magic.

He half-expected Snape to be really working, setting up a hundred shimmering cauldrons all over the room, stepping from one to another to stir, chop and examine the heat under them.

When he was faced with Snape still in something that resembled Muggle pajamas, and he stepped into a room that surely wasn't cleaned for weeks, and there were books everywhere, but Snape didn't seem to be reading any of them, he almost took a step back.

"What is it you're doing in here?" Harry just asked Snape, his voice coming out way less confident then what he planned for it to be.

"I don't remember it's being any of your business," the Potion Master just said, but he was yet to curse Harry to pieces, so the Boy-Who-Lived decided to push his luck a bit further.

"Well, whether you like it or not, there are people who are concerned about you," Harry said, and even when Snape just rolled his eyes in return, he went on. "So either you take a shower and I call a couple of elves to clean up right now, or I can return with McGonagall and then she can make you do it, dragging you to the shower herself…"

"I'll go and take one," Snape sneered, but to Harry's surprise, didn't argue. "But no elves are to touch my books!"

Harry thought that luckily didn't exclude him, so he was putting the books in order and the half-eaten plates to another place where he could banish them to a kitchen.

"What did I say about my books?" Snape then appeared, his hair washed, and his clothing proper, but seemingly very angry at Harry, snatching a book away from him. "Get out!"

"Back to your usual self, as I see, _Severus,_ " Harry just sighed, not moving, however. He even called the Potion Master by his first name just to rattle him up. "But what about an explanation? Why are you hiding in your rooms for two months, reading through every book that's in existence about time-traveling?"

Snape did give him a look, but Harry was sure the older man could have cursed him a hundred times over if he really wanted Harry to be gone.

"I haven't left my quarters for a while because I am presumed to be dead and I find the concept of that somewhat comforting for a moment," but then, to Harry's surprise, Snape was giving him a proper explanation. "And about my research… what do you think? I just want to understand what happened to me and how to undo it, simply put."

That instant, Harry's heart sink.

"You'd rather die?" Harry asked, his voice week.

"No, but I also don't want you in my teenage years!" Snape snapped at him now.

"I don't get it," Harry just muttered. Why was Severus upset about that? "I barely did anything during that time! How can you hate me so much that you'd rather risk dying without those potion vials I've told you to carry, just so that you wouldn't have contact with me in the past?"

"Problem is, I didn't know it was you," Snape now came closer and towered over him as if he was about to slap Harry, yet he didn't. "I only realized it was you when you came to save me at the Shrieking Shack."

"So?"

"So?!" the Potion Master echoed, but then he even stepped closer, and Harry only found himself bumping into the wall when Snape was now eyeing him from _too_ close. "So, my biggest teenage crush and hero was you, Potter, a person who turns out not only to be a Potter, but someone 20 years my junior, and Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world… don't you get it why I would even risk dying just to undo that?"

Harry was now sure he was impolitely staring at Snape, and his heartbeat suddenly sped up from fear, since Snape just said what he did, and he was so close, and Merlin only knows what he was thinking of doing to him. Kiss him, curse him? Both, in some insane order?

When the Potion Master saw how Harry got what he was talking about though, he just took a step back and sighed.

"So, now you know why you of all people shouldn't be here," he told Harry, and he did sound agitated for just a second, so Harry didn't move. Not that he could, anyway, still under shock.

"Actually, I'm now only 18 years your junior, since I took you 2 years into the future," Harry noted, to what Severus just gave him a snort.

" _Much better,_ then I should have you on the table you were kind enough to clean up then, right now," he told Harry, probably joking and saying that exactly to scare him away, but Harry couldn't help but went red hearing that. It sounded… not that he'd ever fantasized about anyone pushing _him_ down to any surface, but it almost sounded… interesting?

Maybe he was just bored with Ginny and their usual way of always having sex in the same pose, after all. At least when they were having it, which now wasn't that often, he had to admit.

"When was the last time you had a proper meal?" Harry just asked then, quickly changing the topic. "I'm taking you out to have one."

"Have not heard what I just said?" Snape was, of course, in disbelief. "Besides the obvious, I still wouldn't go to any public place, because as I've said, although it seemed to escape your diminished attention-"

"I'm not the person you thought I was when I met you as a teenager, am I? And you can come to mine," Harry decided, trying to sound confident. "There I'm sure I can cook something, and should you find me irresistible, Ginny would be there to curse you to hell for it."

To what Snape just eyed him for a brief moment, but then before he could say anything, his stomach gave a growling sound, making Harry snicker.

In fact, nothing else was said, to Harry's surprise, Snape just followed him home, and even had a _proper conversation_ with Ginny, who wasn't questioning Harry's strange choices either, bringing home both-starving-and-irritated-dungeon-bats for the sake of feeding them without even giving her a heads up.

It was surreal. Yet, if Harry wanted to be honest, also really pleasant. If Snape chose to be civil, he wasn't… it was almost as if he was someone else. 

Which Harry of course knew already, but it was still different to have Severus Snape at his apartment, and Ginny saying goodbye to him with "You must come over much more often from now on, I insist!", in the end.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took time, but the moment I got my muse to give me a hint where this story was going, I got to writing, and now I have another chapter for you guys! 
> 
> Hope you haven't totally forgotten about this fic yet. XOXO

After that, their routine became quite easy to follow: Harry would pick Snape up every other night when he wasn't working late, cleaning the Potion Master's room a bit until Snape took a shower, and then they went over to Harry's, where Ginny took his "entertainment" over until Harry cooked the dinner, which they ate all together.

Harry sometimes wondered if the Potions Master seemed to like Ginny because she looked a bit like Lily with her hair - now that Harry been in the past to see, the resemblance didn't leave him - or because Ginny was friendly with everyone, and wasn't afraid of him.

"Name the person betrothed to Draco Malfoy," Ginny sometimes in the meanwhile quizzed Snape about the years he missed, feeding him information and pretending it was a quiz or a trivia show, almost.

"Pansy Parkinson."

"Name the second person betrothed to Draco Malfoy then," Ginny just shrugged, while Harry almost turned to ask about that piece of information again. Were Malfoy and Parkinson betrothed before?

"Astoria Greengrass," Severus just said, but then, Ginny just smiled.

"And, to which date is their wedding date set?"

"How the hell should I know?" Snape just snapped, making Harry smile to the dish he was making. "This game was supposed to make me know more about the crucial information I missed, but even if I was alive, I wouldn't care about details like this-"

"Just so you know, it's the third anniversary of the last day of the war, despite their parents' wishes," Ginny still told him the correct answer. "But then, who won the Quidditch Cup this year?"

"Now sports!" Snape just groaned. "Seriously, Ginevra, people will be surprised if I will know this, not the opposite-"

"Well then, who won the Practical Potioneer Award this year, and name one ingredient that was revolutionary used in the winner's potion," Ginny switched tactics now, and must have done some research because Harry didn't recognize the Award's name, but Snape just quietly said.

"I had only a couple of weeks, and subscribed to the Prophet since then..."

"Or you do care about your godson, even from afar, which isn't a crime. And it was Hector Blain, and the ingredient he used was plastic," the young Weasley stated.

"Come again?" Snape blinked, and Harry almost thought for one second that Snape was confused by what plastic was, but then Ginny laughed.

"Yes, seems like he wanted to stir his potion with a glass rod, but accidentally used a Muggle pen he was taking notes with by accident and discovered that plastic can speed up some brewing process significantly in some cases."

"So basically, nothing is new. Incompetence is still rewarded while talent is overlooked," Severus said, but the way he said it, it was like he was dying to get home and research the topic given the information Ginny just supplied him with.

Ginny just smiled back at Harry probably thinking the same thing, when he finally finished the menu and was now bringing the food over to the table, and Ginny helped with the plates and setting the table.

"Just to test your memory as well," Harry turned to the wizard, while he and Ginny sat down, now Ginny taking Severus' plate to first give their guest some of the chicken soup. She was reckless in that regard: overfeeding Snape like Molly used to do with Harry, saying he was too thin. "In what potions could this acceleration be useful?"

"Without knowing which are the ideal circumstances for plastic to have its blessed effect-"

"Working with bronze cauldrons, with potions that are not considered capricious, reaching the best effect of speeding the brewing up to 300% if the burner can be turned to a high temperature," Ginny supplied, and then smiled. "The rest of the technicalities I must admit I don't remember."

"Still," Severus just said, almost as if surprised. "It makes one wonder why you're dating someone like Potter."

"For his cooking and perfect listening skills, but certainly not his hair," Ginny laughed, making Harry, who was going to complain about Snape's comment just "hey!" her.

"Well, plastic is not a thing I want to scrub off from the bottom of my cauldrons when it melts, and I expect there are more types of plastic Muggles use, but if I was to experiment, surely, the Hiccoughing Solution is relatively easy, but does not take too long to brew so you cannot run trials with all sorts of plastic…" Severus now said, going on now as if he was teaching, or better yet, alone, and now thinking out loud. "In some variants of the Ageing Potion as well, of course, time could be shortened, but I don't see any practical side to…"

"Except!" he now said, standing from the table, the food in front of him ignored. "Excuse me, Potter, thank you for the meal."

And, he was gone by the Floo before Harry could mention he didn't even eat anything.

"I either started something great of terribly wrong," Ginny just amusedly smiled, casting a conserving charm on the food of Snape's plate. "You have to check on him tomorrow, Harry, to make sure it's the former, and if you take over the food he left, you have an excuse."

"Or, you could take it, after all, you seem to be well versed in recent potion discoveries enough," Harry noted, making Ginny just say.

"Are you jealous, Harry? And if so, of whom?"

"I'm not- what is that supposed to mean?" Harry just sat there, staring at Ginny, who just grabbed his arm from across the table, and smiled.

"Nothing, darling," she just said, giving him a quick kiss reaching across the table, then sitting back to her plate as if nothing happened, but Harry felt suddenly uneasy, trying to ignore it, yet unsuccessful, and suddenly, he felt hot, as if someone turned the heater on too high.

Did she just really suggest he'd find Snape attractive? It was the opposite way around, and just when Severus was a teenager, just a crush, the wizard himself told Harry it was nothing more.

Then, why was he suddenly feeling like Ginny just broke up with him when she didn't seem offended, and she still slept next to him at night, as always?


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a slow chapter, but still important I guess.
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for still reading! XOXO

Harry planned on taking the food over to Snape during his lunch break, guessing the Potion Master haven't eaten anything since he left him and Ginny, but an urgent call came in.

He and Gary were kept in an unfriendly neighborly dispute which resulted in magical retaliations from both magical neighbors, with so many Muggle witnesses Harry and Gary had to spend most of the day Obliviating the whole district.

After which Harry was supposed to visit Teddy, and was now rushing to get the food to Severus first when he stepped into to wizard's lab, and there he didn't find Snape, but… a boy that looked like him, only he didn't look older than 8.

"What have you done?!" the question escaped him, sounding a bit more worried than he originally would ever intend to appear in front of Snape.

Which was noticed by the wizard himself as well, giving Harry a look.

"It's only temporary, Potter, calm yourself."

"Should I? Clearly, you can reverse the Ageing potion, and tried it on yourself without telling anyone. Haven't you thought about how you could have taken too much and could have risked reversing your whole existence?" Harry didn't even know he cared if this was to happen, but now he was upset enough to show him how much he did. "Or, consider how children's brains are different and you could have ended up destroying your memories of ever being an adult!"

"I see being an Auror you learned something about weighing the consequences of your actions, good for you, Mr. Potter," the eight-year-old Snape, however, wasn't half that terrifying no matter how he intonated as his adult self.

"Well, since you aren't 18, and it can be dubious whether you are or aren't in your right sense of mind to conclude any Potion experiments without supervision or just any magic without the Trace being put back on you, I'm taking you with me," Harry now decided, not dropping the food but instead taking Severus, it seemed.

"You must be kidding me," Snape froze, not expecting that. "And Ginevra must not want me over all the time, either."

"Good that we're going to visit my godson first then," Harry just decided with a cruel smile. He did have authority as an Auror to shut down Snape's experiments as of now, and he decided to use it to his advantage. "You are dangerously young now anyway to keep on working… How young did you intend to become anyway drinking this potion?"

Snape gave him a freezingly cold look that was now overly annoyed, but on the body he had, it looked like a child pouting, before saying.

"It may surprise you, Potter, but this isn't just the product of one potion. I might have imbibed several trials of the potion with different modifications… And I'm not going anywhere before I try this batch…"

"You might not even realize how young you made yourself, but I'm not letting you drink any more of that!" Harry said because it wasn't a joke. "I'm shutting this down as a member of the Ministry, at least until you age back and can start again…"

"Either you let me drink it or you will drink it," the Potion Master, however, had other ideas. "The potion significantly loses its potency after the brewing is done, and I won't let a day of work go to waste because you suddenly care about my well being."

"Well, I surely don't care enough to change your diapers you if you become an infant!" Harry argued, and for one second, he though Snape will curse the hell out of him for saying something like that, but then, the 8-year-old kid was laughing at him after a moment of pause, hugging his stomach.

Which was a strange feeling on Harry's part, because he liked how he could make the Potion Master laugh, even if he might have not been totally himself, but also, he didn't like how unconcerned Severus seemed to be about his own personal safety.

"Where is the Potter who got off on breaking the rules?" Snape then just asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

"I never did-"

"Then, if you are truly so worried about my welfare, and aren't totally boring as of yet, I dare you to drink this whole vial right now," Snape went on, pouring the freshly finished potion to a vial and spelling it cold enough so that it would be drinkable. "Or I might start to doubt you ever was a true Gryffindor…"

He was probably joking, but Harry found himself provoked nonetheless, draining the whole vial… and only then feeling how terrible it tasted when his whole body started shrinking.

He almost thought it will never stop, and he will end up as someone who wasn't ever conceived, Severus finally managing to kill him without anyone ever knowing, but then the rearrangement of his body stopped, and he saw Snape coming closer to take a look at him while he managed to charm his clothing to fit him once again.

"I would say you don't look a day older than 4, which would mean a loss of 18 years, my best result yet, but then again, you never looked your age."

"Compliments aside, we should get going," Harry tried to hide how insanely unsure it felt to be that small again. 

It brought back memories of times when he couldn't do anything to defend himself because he was small and weak and helpless, but he also knew now he still had his magic and the memories of how he still managed in the past as well somehow.

"Now it's disputable whether you are or aren't in a position to have authority to shut down my work, as you are definitely not yourself either," however, Snape just cruelly smiled. "And as such-"

"I can still Firecall Ginny to kick your arse, or Patronus McGonagall," Harry wasn't afraid to sound like a pansy kid who'd tell on his contemporaries to the adults. "So suit yourself, we're going to visit my godson."

"Who is?"

"Teddy Lupin, and be nice to Andromeda, because I can still curse you."

To his surprise, Snape didn't argue falling silent, and Teddy only welcomed him even more enthusiastically than his usual self and kept giving up his toys to Harry and even Severus, probably thinking the younger Harry would need or value them more now.

And Andromeda never once questioned during their visit as to why Harry wasn't himself and why he bought Snape of all people with, treating Severus carefully but fairly, and Harry was grateful for that. 

He already felt bad without anyone reminding him of what he was doing. Ginny wasn't totally wrong when she said Harry cared for Snape too much, and seeing the wizard as a child, playing carefree with Teddy, totally different than his usual dark and calculating-self didn't help at all.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chaotic couple of weeks you guys, but I have a new chapter here, hope you will like it! XOXO

Harry decided to do what he could about his situation: he worked twice as hard and took all the overtime jobs, so he didn't have time for going home, except very late at night when Ginny was asleep, nor he had time to check on Severus.

He didn't count on Snape appearing at his department of the Ministry, coming up straight to Harry's desk, making every one of his coworkers stare.

"I have been brewing for 3 or 4 days now, without your menacing presence to interrupt," Severus stated before Harry could even say hello. "Almost thought that was a sign of something terribly wrong with you, but Ginevra said you were just working."

"Well, after you had cleared that up, you shouldn't have come," Harry just motioned to all the documents littering his desk. "As I _am_ really working…"

At least he would rather work, letting the happenings of him saving Severus' life cool down or settle before they talked again. That was all he needed. Some time.

"No longer, I give you the rest of the day off!" Kingsley appeared so fast out of his office as if he Apparated. "After all, you have been working like a maniac lately, Harry. I trust you are well, Severus? Just owl me if you need anything, anytime, and I'll help!"

"Thank you," Severus forced a smile back, his eyes urging Harry to hurry the hell up, clearly not comfortable with Kingsley.

There was also something strange in Kingsley's behavior, but that only seemed secondary given that the wizard just sent him away to dine with Snape, and when Harry just knew he couldn't possibly refuse, without pulling even more attention to the issue, which was even worse than going.

"I didn't know you wanted to go a public place, especially not with me," he mentioned to Severus instead, when they were out of the Ministry, hoping this could change the Potion Master's mind.

"I happen to have a disguise," Snape, however, just smiled, and downed a vial of potion before Harry could have stopped him, turning to a much younger version of himself, probably around the age he first was when he met time-traveler-Harry. 

And that also meant he had to charm his clothing, and before Harry knew it, it also paired Severus with a confidence the wizard usually didn't have. 

"And now that I'm all dressed up, we should proceed to the date," he just told Harry, who first thought he heard that wrong, but the look Snape was eying him with told him otherwise.

"It's NOT, and I'm dating Ginny," Harry found himself muttering, intimidated that Severus would even _joke_ with that, but by the time he'd regained his composure, Snape stepped up to him, kissing him.

Harry gasped from surprise and also from the surprise of how _delicious_ it felt, and Severus took that as an opportunity to kiss him deeper, which was too much.

"I'm glad that you're doing better, but I should go-"

"So is that your answer?" young Snape, however, was fast, and Harry now couldn't just Apparate away when the wizard managed to grab his wrist before that. "You want to do nothing with me, then?"

"No, it's… we can still be friends," Harry quickly said, because no matter how he wanted to get rid of the situation, he didn't want to hurt Severus either. "But I have Ginny…"

"She said your favorite time of you two having sex was always when it was finally over," Snape grabbed him with more force now. "She also said you have been avoiding her as well, when-"

"Don't you dare!" Harry suddenly was very angry. It was one thing for Severus to invite him for a lunch, and kiss him, even though he knew about his girlfriend, and yet another to use information Ginny gave him by trusting him…

"Dare what? Point out the truth, or dare to think you could be attracted to me?" Snape just asked, and then let go, promptly turning away.

"It's not what I meant!" Harry now couldn't believe, but he was trying to catch up with Severus, not the other way around.

"No?" Snape just turned, young, but still irritated like his older self often was, his eyes darting holes into Harry. "Because I have been working on this godforsaken potion, and a chance to make it permanent just to have a chance with you, but then, turns out it's-"

"It's not your age."

"Great, glad we cleared that up! Well, if you do not wish to see me ever again, I shall grant you that," Snape roared back, turning to probably Apparate away, so Harry had to grab onto him now.

"Severus, it's not that I _don't_ want you, but that doesn't-"

"Prove it, then," the young Snape defiantly stood there. "So far, you left me for 20 years, and if anything, have been trying to get rid of me, even though it was you who saved my life when no one asked you to."

That shut Harry up because it sounded like the Potion Master just told him he shouldn't have saved his life.

And while his mind was occupied with that, Snape kissed him again, now not as tall as his full height, but still with overwhelming power. 

This time, Harry's mind was still processing the last comment, and by the time he could have stopped the kiss, he simply didn't want to.

It already happened once, and if he was honest with himself, he was curious. If he had to tell Ginny anyway about it, at least he wanted to see where it was leading, just a little bit more... just a tad bit.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kindly thank you all for all your feedback and love, they make me feel happy, especially since at the beginning of this fic I was wondering if anyone would read this particular story. Thank you, my friends. <3
> 
> And, next scene got so long I think it will take up 4 chapters(?) when I'm done cutting it up to the usual length, this being the first. XOXO

Their kiss got more heated only when Harry decided to respond, and just for a brief moment or so, it was perfect.

Then, he remembered Andromeda's knowing looks and Ginny's question about him being jealous, and the sweet kiss turned to ash on his tongue, making him slowly pull away.

"Severus, I… does this strike you as a good idea from either of our sides, really?" he was trying to put some sense into his own head anyway, so it was the first excuse that came to him.

Yes, he didn't want Snape to die, and maybe there was some attraction between them, but that wasn't a good enough excuse just to - what, end up renting a motel room nearby, and have sex with his old Potion's Professor, while Ginny was at home, probably waiting up for him if he got back late?

True, he'd probably have to break up with Ginny and admit to being gay in the wizarding media one day, just as well as getting used to the idea of the thought, because if anything, that kiss proved what he was missing all along dating girls.

But Snape deserved better than a love-hate relationship that will just break both of their hearts, in a matter of a month or two. 

When Harry found himself thinking Severus was now his… friend. He became one, although Harry didn't know when and why. He didn't want to mess that up with a relationship that was never destined to last long. 

"I never said this is me being smart," the teenage Severus just said, but he was taking a step back. "But at least I expected you to want me if I'm young like this."

"Consider it mission accomplished then," Harry said, biting into his lips to stop himself from kissing Snape again. "But… strange as it is to admit, I don't want to lose your friendship."

"That's all you can see between us then?" for just this once, the young Sev didn't seem upset or lashing out on him, only genuinely inquiring. "Or you just don't have the guts to see where this could lead?"

"The second," Harry announced truthfully, although maybe a lie would have served his purposes better. "I'm a coward, what can I say. Do you still want to eat something, because then maybe we could just do that…"

Snape gave him a look, but recover relatively fast.

"Surprisingly, yes. Even if you're clearly not into me, I still want to be around you any way you can."

"Where has the world come to now," Harry let it slip before he could think. "Severus Snape joining my fan club."

"Indeed, we seem to live in desperate times," Severus, on the other hand, took not only Harry putting a stop to the kiss, but even this sentence well. Almost too well, making Harry worried what he might be secretly planning…

But Snape seemed to know somewhere deep Harry was right or could hide his disappointment better than expected: they had a totally normal meal after, and even some conversation that wasn't awkward.

Harry found himself relaxing, and so, when in the end Severus just casually mentioned, he didn't get upset.

"You know, Harry, if you ever would like to, my offer will still stand later, if all you need is time first. But you have to come to me," he told the Boy Who Lived, who could understand it perfectly well.

Snape had put his feelings out in the open quite unmistakably, it made sense he wouldn't like to do it again if Harry didn't want him back. Which he did, but couldn't…

"Thank you," was all he could say to Severus, being impressed how mature could the other wizard be if he really was trying, compared to all the times in the past when he was nothing but with Harry.


	14. Chapter 14

They even ended their meal on a high note with Severus, Harry going home early, so he had time to clean their apartment with Ginny (which they _never_ had time for!), reorganize some of his messy stuff overflowing the shelves, and cook dinner for her.

But when he was done and didn't even have a single report to work on since he didn't grab any from his work when Kingsley sent him home, the events of the day came back to haunt him, and his initial joy seemed to disappear.

He was so _exhausted_ and even if Sev seemed to take his rejection good, he couldn't be sure he won't hold it against him later. And what will people say if their Savior will turn out gay? 

Molly Weasley? Even Ron, or Andromeda, for that matter.

He was a wizard raised by the Dursleys, couldn't he have been normal at least in his sexual preference? Was that too much to ask?

"Oh Harry, are you okay, honey?" Ginny found him in the dark, on the couch, trying to fall asleep, but fast thoughts swirling instead in his head.

"I had the worst day, and I need to talk to you, actually," Harry said, mentally preparing himself to word what he had to say a good way - she at least deserved that.

"So you have seen the Prophet's exclusive edition, I take it."

"No I- wait, what's in the-" Harry asked, and Ginny then tried to hide the said paper from him, but she wasn't quick enough.

And, on the covers, Harry was kissing the young Severus, and the titles were not only attacking Harry for being a closeted gay, but also for the teenage Sev's age, people having no idea it was a 40-year-old man kissing him, only made younger by potions.

"No, _now_ I'm having the worst day," Harry corrected, levitating the paper away before he'd be tempted to read all the content of it, probably just hurting himself all the more.

"Harry, if you want, I can take care of this," Ginny just said. "Saying it was someone else, Polyjuiced like you, and giving a statement to the press that our sex life is brilliant and you never once looked at a wizard twice."

"You really shouldn't do that," Harry sighed. "I was to deal with this issue sooner or later, I just didn't expect it to be so close."

"I'm sorry," she said, and hugged him, although if anyone, she should have been upset. "But Harry, what worries me… where is Severus? I thought you'd be with him."

"We did have some Italian together, then-"

"Harry, you know what I mean."

"I… I'd rather keep him as one of my most valued friends than to set us up to have a curt and terrible relationship with him," Harry muttered, now not really sure he managed to tell Severus exactly this, and whether he was believed or not.

"Harry… Merlin, how can you be so wrong? I… cannot say how or when but I do know that you two are going to make a lasting couple, so-"

"What are you saying?" Harry's head shot up hearing those words. It couldn't have been a coincidence, he just knew it now...


	15. Chapter 15

"Hermione! She told you, didn't she? Warned you before, because she has been in our future, and even if she shouldn't use that, she's your best friend…" Harry knew it was true before he could finish the sentence.

"I cannot say, she made me give an Oath, but maybe you could guess one more thing you need to know," Ginny told him, not even trying to deny it, in fact, she was helping him.

Harry was utterly shocked. What? Only one? Shouldn't he storm into Hermione's office now, demanding an explanation?

Then again, the way she said "it had to be" Harry to save Severus using the Time-Turner never really sat right with him, bugging him ever since it occurred.

"So, I was sent to the past not just not as a lucky try in her experiment, but because I was thought to be the _only one_ Severus would listen, because in the future, he is supposed to be alive and we are together?" he asked, and Ginny just nodded.

"You really _are_ the only one who he trusts, Harry. He trusts me only for instance, because I'm your friend, and he trusts your judgment."

"Do you know any detail how I'm getting him to be with me? When?" Harry just asked because the information was shocking, yet there were so many pieces missing. 

It could have meant they got together 30 or 50 years later for all he knew, since wizarding lifetimes were longer, and alternatively it didn't mean they stayed together indefinitely either, just that they probably were when Hermione and the Ministry started sniffing around in their future.

Maybe it was already changed, given everything - but then again, Hermione did say it took much less energy _not_ to change a timeline, and Harry did remember their third year still.

"You just figured out the only one thing I knew. Hermione would know more, but-"

"She'd never tell me."

"I was going to say you probably don't want her to. It wouldn't be as much fun seducing Severus if you knew what and when you'd have to say to him to make him fall for you, would it?" she asked him, smiling.

Ginny had a strange definition of "fun", Harry thought, but she was also right. It would ruin the moments he was supposed to have with Severus in the future if he knew more.

Yet, if he could believe all this, and supposed his future was the same Hermione seemed to know a lot about, if he was to live with Severus later, wouldn't it be smart to date others before him? 

Wouldn't Harry want to have experience with others as well, before he committed to something more serious? How serious was it between them anyway in the future?

It was unnerving, to say at least.


	16. Chapter 16

Harry was still trying to process the information that was given to him, his mind trying to calculate the impossible: trying to predict the future with one or two facts he was given, from the now. 

Any normal person was supposed to thread into their future unknowing, connecting the points leading to the big things only with hindsight, not trying to do it before they happened.

He already knew too much, yet scarcely enough to scratch the surface of things, it seemed.

"Well, if you don't go to Severus right now to beg him to forgive you with an apology, then feed me. I'm starving and something smells really nice," Ginny said then, and it bought him back to the present, grounding him.

She clearly wasn't upset with him, and that was a good start. Because just as he didn't want to lose Severus' friendship, he didn't want to lose Ginny's either.

She was the person who knew him the best in the whole universe. It used to be Ron and then Hermione, but since they became a couple, Ginny was the closest to him.

"About our relationship being over," Ginny then just noted, when they were done with dinner. "I should move out."

"We could enhance the apartment making my bedroom smaller, and adding another for you with magic, and you should stay-"

"And bring my rebound one night stands here?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"Would you really do one night stands?"

"Would you tell on me to Mom if I tell you the truth?" Ginny just grinned, answering the question without even saying yes, and she seemed to be excited about said one night stands as well.

"She will kill me first before I'd have a chance to, anyway," Harry wondered, because he really didn't want his family - well, the Weasleys were his family now, not counting his godson - to know about his personal life from the papers, but that chance was taken away from him.

"She just might, but not because you're gay, but because of Severus' age at the picture. How old was he at that moment, 14?" 

"He was 17 going on 18 when I first met him, and he probably changed himself to the same age, come on!"

"Well, see it for yourself and decide," Ginny levitated the paper in front of him, while getting a plate for herself, and starting to get into the bowl of food Harry made just some hours prior.

Meanwhile, Harry had to unfold the paper to get the whole wizarding picture that was so blown up it didn't fit to the top side of the page and stared at the moment between him and young Snape that was captured so skillfully sneaky they didn't even notice.

Ginny was right, and Severus did seem always a bit younger than his age as a teenager, but at that photograph, the look he was giving Harry and how he responded to Harry's kiss made him… less scowling and therefore… more approachable, almost cute and… looking damn young.

The second thing was Harry noticed how just looking at the picture he felt his breathing speed up, and his stomach tighten. 

Clearly, he wanted more from Sev than just being a friend, if only a picture taken of them managed to get a reaction of him.

"Now you're drooling," Ginny just crudely told him, laughing at him.

"I am not, but it's-"

"Surprisingly hot?" Ginny supplied, smiling. "Or showing you how Severus looks at you when he thinks you won't notice?"

Harry was now washed over with guilt once more, given that Ginny was still his girlfriend just minutes ago, while his mind clearly was preoccupied with someone else since a while ago now, and she didn't even yell at him or made a scene, she just went on pretending to be totally fine with it.

Maybe it was selfish and cruel to keep her close to him, he should move and give up their flat to her only.

"Harry, I'm not reprimanding you," Ginny read from his expression, without him answering. "I think I knew along, but started dating you because while you didn't saw me as a fragile girl, you also took good care of me. If anything, I am grateful."

"No, you're just too kind and don't want me to feel bad," Harry knew, but that just made her laugh.

"That's absolutely correct, I am the kindest friend you'll ever have. But also not the issue you should be focusing on," she said. "If anything, you're using me as a distraction…"

"I… I'm not sure what to do with Severus," Harry admitted. "So yes, it is, but I also want to know you're really okay, not just-"

"I am," Ginny said quickly. "But what to do? Go to him and see where more than just a kiss could lead, right now, the papers already say you did that anyway…"

"I… maybe I would, if Snape… I prefer… I cannot even say this out loud," Harry blushed, making Ginny now stare at him.

"Please don't say you want him even younger."

"Merlin, no!" Harry felt outraged she would think that. "That's one of the reasons I think I could stop myself from anything else happening, actually. I… prefer Severus more… mature, let's say and taking…"

"Dear Gryffindor, you actually want _him_ to fuck _you!_ " Ginny now laughed, even her stating it like that making Harry blush. "He thinks you prefer the younger version of him because it was when you first showed him any sign you care about him, but you prefer the famously terrifying bat of the dungeons-"

"Don't talk about him like that," Harry muttered, but maybe it wasn't because he didn't know Ginny liked Severus anyway, no matter how she talked about him, but because he felt embarrassed by the topic greatly with his ex-girlfriend of all people?

"Or, maybe he doesn't trust you to love him if he's not young like that. Maybe he feels like if he dates you as a teenager and it doesn't work out, it's a sort of mask, a disguise you're saying no to, not his _own_ old and grumpy self, and it's a protection in case you break up with him, or maybe also a tool in his eyes to make you think you want him in the first place."

"That makes no sense!" Harry argued. "I have saved his life, he knows he can trust me. And he's like a good wine, only-"

"With his life, maybe, but with his heart?"

Harry wanted her to be wrong, but Sev also said something about his teenage image being a disguise before, even though he wasn't paying attention to it then.

Was it a disguise to hide him from others or from Harry as well?


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys feel like this chapter is not a full step forward in their relationship, I guess I can say you're right.
> 
> But it's an important one (I mean step). And I already said we're heading for a happy end, so. Hang tight, please? XOXO

Harry wasn't surprised when now the adult Snape opened the door as he knocked on it the next day, and then closed it when he saw it was Harry.

"Severus, please!"

"Go away! Forget I exist and leave!"

 _Well, there goes predestined love-story for you,_ Harry thought to himself. _He won't even talk to me._

Yes, it was humiliating that the Prophet had that exclusive on their kiss.

And Harry had to talk to Molly and Arthur at length because they were coming down on hard on him as he was their own son, accepting he was gay without as much as a bad word (even though he was dating their only daughter!), but dragging him through hell because of Sev's age.

However, possibly the worst part was only the next morning when "an inside source in the Ministry" confirmed for the Prophet it was Severus Snape himself that Harry was kissing.

It had another paper printed with full of speculations, about how Severus stayed alive, some even said Dark Magic was involved, guessing he was never really on the good side, but Harry lied for him since they were lovers.

And Severus seemingly de-aged by 20 years didn't help, the readers and the so-called "publishers" didn't know that part of the story, saying absurd things like Severus turned himself into a vampire and drank human blood to appear young or even worse nonsense.

As soon as Harry got the alert from Ginny as to what happened, he went over to Snape to talk to him in person, but look. He already seemed to know and it was bad.

"Severus, you know I can break down this door, don't you?" Harry tried, but there was no answer. "And aside from the Prophet which should be ashamed of what they dare to print-"

"Aside from the fact that the Ministry called me in to trial me now if I was on Voldemort's side all along, you mean?" suddenly, Severus did change his mind, just to be able to yell at him without the door being between them. "Or that I'm humiliated in front of thousands of wizards who read the paper? Or that you rejected me?"

"It wasn't… Look, can I come in?" Harry asked, and got the door now once again in his face with a slam and a deja-vu.

Not that it ever discouraged him.

"So, I better talk from here. I will look into the Ministry case, and talk to Kingsley, he knows you were Dumbledore's man all along, and I have the proof."

And there, the door opened up again.

"If you dare to share my memories with them, _Potter_ , I'm going to find you and prove the Prophet's point about me by murdering you in cold blood!"

Luckily, Harry knew it was just angry Severus lashing out on him, just as he did on Lily on the day when he called her Mudblood, and Harry had a better tolerance against threats and name-calling, because… well, he grew up with the Dursleys.

And also, he found it easier to forgive Sev because he had a crush on the man, and even when he was yelling, he almost found it… endearing?

Well, only because he knew Snape well and trusted him fully not to really kill him, that is.

"Not the memories, but character witnesses. People who since then have been informed about what really happened-"

"They can line up just as many who will say I was terrible, and they will be right. I was, I had to be, I was Headmaster of this school, and a servant of Voldemort in one! Two days ago, I was considered dead, and now I may as well go to Azkaban for this!"

But at least for now the door was open, and Severus was talking to him, progress.

"No you won't," Harry quickly said, before Snape decides to shut the door again. "If I could keep all Malfoy out of there because they decided to switch sides the last minute, I should be able to keep you out of there who sacrificed years of your life-"

"Were you fucking Draco? Or Lucius? Narcissa? Because then it's not the same! They'll say you're biased-"

"Let them try," Harry just said, knowing full well Kingsley would be on his side with his Ministry connections, just as well as Hermione who now was working at the Ministry and knew possibly the whole Wizarding Law Book collection by heart, and if had those two, there was no way they were losing any wizarding hearing soon. "And about the second issue-"

"That I'm humiliated?" Severus now just eyed him angrily, but already calmed down enough not to yell.

"That you were rejected. I… broke up with Ginny. It actually went better then I imagined, to be honest-"

"Well congratulations, Potter, it must be swell to be free, but at least let me mourn my integrity in piece," Sev said, and was really about to turn and leave Harry now, not closing the door, but ending the conversation the same, except Harry kissed him before that could happen.

And it felt much better than kissing the same person as a teenager. Harry knew it was both Severus, and maybe that it made little sense, but he was attracted to this version as if the wheels in his head just clicked now in place.

"Do NOT ridicule me," Snape just ended the kiss, and this time, he wasn't yelling. His voice was lowered, which was even worse.

"I am not. You said you wanted me to come to you, so I'm doing it," Harry explained with a surely idiotic smile because let's face it - he just kissed Snape. And could not help but smile. "The whole world knows about us, it seems, so we don't even have to fear them finding out. So you know… we could just let them have their fun while we have _ours._ "

He might have blushed a little by the questioning look Severus gave him to that, and there might have been a nervous knot in his stomach when it could have gone wrong with Sev in so many ways.

However, he knew one thing now he didn't know just a day before.

Had taken an almost sleepless night for him to figure it out, but the fact was: Severus and he will be a couple.

He didn't know when, how or for how long, but it was not a question it will happen and will have a huge effect on the future if Hermione and others went forward to check and they have found evidence it ever happened.

And it gave Harry hope and confidence and certainty. 

He hadn't realized how much he wanted Severus until he was given permission by Ginny to do so, and power to make it happen by Hermione's meddling, but it changed everything.

Even if they didn't get together right now it was okay. 

Even if they were to have a terrible break-up but then later became friends and were able to talk about it calmly to time traveling Hermione it was okay as well.

Maybe even if they hated each other after was okay. Although Harry didn't really wish for that straight off from the start.

"You really mean it? Even if you've seen what the Prophet did with just one little kiss?" interestingly, Severus now stood there as he was indecisive, not pushing the door on his face again, his voice barely audible, yet Harry didn't mistake a word.

"Yes. Definitely."

"Wait here 'till I get the potion-" Snape turned, but Harry reached out to grab his hand.

"No potions. I don't-"

"Well, it's either that or you can leave," Severus said, without thinking. "I'm close to completing the permanent version and will drink it, no question."

"But-"

"As you've said, I lost 20 years of my life working for both Voldemort and Dumbledore, and I want it back."

"I… like the way you are. Prefer this Severus, actually," Harry just said, because meanwhile, he could understand the sentiment of someone like Sev trying to get back lost years, it also was upsetting how clearly Severus didn't think he had a full and long wizarding lifetime ahead of him _still,_ even if he wasn't a teenager anymore.

"Then leave me now, we have nothing to discuss," Snape just said, and apparently meant it.

Not because he closed the door, but his expression was back to his mean self, and his attitude will surely lag behind soon…

If Harry wanted to get to him, now it wasn't the time, and he probably needed to figure a way out to make Severus listen. Begging Ginny for help, probably...

"I will be back," so he just told the irritated Potion Master in the door.

" _Delightful,_ " Snape just noted sardonically, but then, Harry turned back to face him.

"And don't you dare to test any of the permanent potions on yourself without supervision! If you mess up-"

"I'm sorry, youngest Potion Master of the century, right in front of you," Sev just humored him. "Why would I mess u-"

"Youngest but not young enough at all, it seems," Harry just noted, making Snape definitely now upset again.

But he wanted to say it, to make Severus realize what he was doing before it's too late. 

The person who he saved from death was risking even that just to turn himself into someone else, and for what?

Oh, and about the question of whether Severus was "hiding" as a teenager just in front of people or from Harry as well, the answer was a definitely the second.

Harry turned to leave _before_ the door was shut again, with magic, this time.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late updates, anyone! T.T
> 
> I have been juggling a lot lately, TBH. But this week so far has been so good (I feel hyper for some reason) that I had to write a bit!
> 
> But I did not forget about my stories!!! I just hope you guys don't hate this chapter, even if... well, Severus is a bit (or entirely) different? Maybe? XOXO

It disoriented Harry a bit when one moment he was thinking he was heading for the trial of Severus in the Ministry, and the next thing he knew, he had found himself in what was probably the said wizard's bedroom in Hogwarts - not that he had seen much of it before or now - the Potion Master kissing him.

"I'm sorry, but... what are you... I thought-?" Harry tried to make sense of all of it, but Sev just kept on sweetly torturing him, before then adding.

"I'm a free wizard, and you couldn't hold your liquor last night. So it can be considered crude of me to do anything like this, but you desire me in this form, don't you?" Severus just raised an eyebrow at him, but Harry could almost swear the corner of the Potion Master's mouth was secretly curling upward.

Was the man in such a good mood? He did say they won the trial just now, so that could be the reason why, but…

"I never get drunk," Harry found himself insisting, now trying to get away from the wizard. "In fact, Severus would never come on me this hard, who are you even, some kind of reporter? You think you can just drug me and get away with it? Is your goddamn article even worth this much of a trouble?"

He felt angry, ashamed and disappointed at the same time, for very different reasons. 

He didn't straight away realize it wasn't his Severus because part of him wished he didn't and could have just… what, fuck another wizard Polyjuiced as Sev if he knew he could never have the real one?

But, to his surprise, Severus just smirked at him, not at all intimidated by Harry's accidental magic already charging the air around them.

"I told Harry- my one, actually, that you'll know right away and I was right," he just said, hopping down on the bed with a smirk that felt so distinctly different than Snape it was wrong.

But also, he had some warmth in his eyes and features and some… color in his cheeks, now that Harry noticed.

It wasn't Polyjuice. So…

"You're from the future! Or at least one-"

"Actually, have you looked into the mirror recently, Harry?" the wizard quietly just said. "Because that is what I have been trying to make you forget."

And when Harry stomped out of the room to find one, he just ended up in a quite tastefully furnished corridor, which wasn't grandiose, yet it was pleasant and surely expensive…

Not to mention he looked nothing like himself. Well, yes, but also older, and… he had smile lines in the corner of his eyes, which made him look more like a softie.

"Let me get this straight-" he just stormed back to Severus, who was now openly smiling at him, which was almost as good on the Potion Master's side as if someone was falling over laughing. "I'm… I'm in the future, and your Harry ordered you to seduce me? Why?"

"He remembers it happening," the wizard just said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "And he needed to go back to your place to handle the upcoming trial of my younger self to get me released without a prison sentence."

"Why?"

"Because that part, on the other hand, he remembers not," Sev said, and he was now mocking Harry as the old times, yet with a much gentler expression, and tone, which was almost endearing, but not the point. "And I agreed because the thought of being your first will probably drive me mad, just as much as I think you wouldn't date the younger me otherwise now."

"What do you mean 'now'?" Harry just asked, keeping his share of distance.

It was one thing to be around with Severus who was not so insecure and angry all the time, seemingly content, and smiling(!) of all the sudden, and how it's supposed to happen, and another that he couldn't quite believe this was real.

"He made the Age-reversing potion permanent and drank it. He was afraid if he got locked up after the trial they'd never let him out, and he did what thought was the best… Well, I did. But you're not really into a 21 year-old-me," the Potion Master explained. "But you should think of this as a vacation-"

"If he's 21 in my time, how much later is this?"

"You ask so many questions, Harry-" Sev then stood, towering over him, and trying to distract him again, surely.

"You said your Harry knew he had to go back, so I need to know. When exactly are we?"

"Just right after 20 years your time."

Great, which means Severus reverse aged himself to 21 and looked like someone who is still under 18, and Harry couldn't bear the thought of touching him for a decade now at least if he got back.

"I know what you're thinking. But I'll seduce you so bad in this body that you'll want me even if I'm young," the Potion Master stepped closer to Harry know, whispering into his ear, and pulling him closer despite Harry's tentative resistance.

"I could never-"

"Well, for a while, we didn't. But you were there for me, talking to me, supporting me, even if angry for 'what I did to myself', as you once put it. I do believe we were married for 4 years when you admitted it was future me who calmed you down first," the wizard smiled. "And that's acceptable from my side as well, 20 years ago I was still much more timorous if I do say so myself-"

"Or we could just talk?" Harry slipped out of the arms of Sev so fast, he was mentally berating himself shortly after.

The wizard wanted him, and it's not like he couldn't imagine just to give into this Severus, or that he'd cheat on anybody since technically him and the other Severus wasn't dating, and this wizard was Severus as well, even if in the future.

_Their_ future, he did say marriage, and everything, after all?

But Harry's head was almost spinning, and not in a positive way.

"I try to be not offended, and make some tea," the Potion Master just said after a small pause, but he didn't look angry.

In fact, he seemed so composed and normal that Harry almost felt unhinged next to him, in a sense, and had to wonder if his future self did feel the same or was so happy in the future that he was the same as Sev, changed for the better?

"I didn't mean it like that," Harry explained when the other wizard just Accioed the tea-set, and started to make one for them, with magic but without any elves in sight. "And isn't our teapot fancy or what?"

It was gold-plated, after all, almost looking like what an old lady would have in her house with all the decor on them, except neither cup was chipped or otherwise looking worn.

"Yes, 3 Lordships on your side was really a huge part of the reason why I married you," Sev said with a deadpan of a voice, and when Harry just eyed him trying to decide if he was kidding, he just comically rolled his eyes. "I'm kidding, of course! I could have sold the De-Age Potion for millions of Galleons, but you made me destroy the recipe and I'm glad you did."

"You remember it by heart anyway, don't try to convince me that you do not," Harry just pointed out, making Sev smile faintly again.

It was almost as if he smiled at him because he was proud of Harry, which was absurd.

For one, because he was always this insightful, even if not as smart as Hermione with her genius. 

For another, why would Harry's insight make the other man proud at all? Even if they were a couple and this wasn't just a strange dream after some expired Muggle food or something, it still-

"I do, but it's not written down anywhere now, and I can claim to have destroyed the records. It's safer, because this way, at least, people won't come after me to get it no matter what. And by extension, us."

It was almost unbelievable, Harry having so many questions, sometimes personal and not that easy ones as well, and Sev was yet to snarl or sarcasm at Harry as of yet.

It was almost something too good to be true, and at the same time, something this Harry, the past and young Harry did not really know how to handle, it being too much for him eventually.

For a single straying thought, he let himself think he'd rather just shag the man just to not have to talk to him so openly. It was unnerving.

And the idea might have come from how "other Sev" was sitting across from him over a small coffee table in the other side of the room, tea in his hand, and he looked absolutely fantastic.

Not a model, at least not the typical one, and his clothing was still black even if not that worn as before, maybe, but the way Severus carried himself was different.

Even if the other Snape was tall and could dramatically carry himself around, demanding respect, and towering over people, this Snape was sitting tall across from Harry without having to fake it.

And his gestures weren't that unnatural, but looser, sexier, actually-

"Am I taking up your time from daydreams if I talk to you now, Harry?" Severus just said, trying to catch his eyes, dragging Harry back fast to the real world.

As much as this time for him could be real anyway.

"No, you don't. I mean I won't daydream any longer, not that I don't care-" he hurriedly added, afraid how it might have sounded, as the old Snape would probably take this in the wrong way, already.

"And he's back. So care for some tea biscuits?" Snape just said, pushing a plate in front of him.

"So… what big trial strategy does my future self have that I do not?" Harry now wondered. Maybe he should not know everything about his future, that's why he didn't ask Sev of details like how many years they were married now and how was their life and if they had any kids or any of that. But if his future self is going to need to save the past Severus, he'll take any details he could get.

"As I understand, the key was for you to _not_ appear in my trial at all. The judges that way didn't think you were under my spell as well, and that can be only achieved if I was still practicing dark magic, and I didn't have to resent you."

"Resent me?"

"Yes, like saving my life at the Shrieking Shack, dragging me over time just as well as space, acting a damned hero…"

" _You_ saved my life many times before that!" Harry exclaimed, not getting how that was something "bad" in Snape's eyes, even if it was Snape.

Surely, dealing with heroic Harry is better than being dead? But the other wizard said as if it wasn't.

"As James Potter once did mine before."

Harry fell silent, contemplating everything for just a little while, and then... he decided to steer the conversation away from this territory just yet. 

Maybe, there will be a time when he can talk with Sev about this all, but he wanted be with his own version of the Potion Master to do it.

Small talk got no so small, a thing Harry found curious how he easily always managed to have them with Sev if the man wasn't yelling or being defensive with him.

And then, it was already the evening, given that it was already the afternoon Harry left work to go to the other side of the Ministry for the trial and ended up coming here.

"I'll take a sofa, you can take the bed. I'll be just downstairs, if-"

"Don't be ridiculous," Harry said to that offer, really feeling that was too much. "I have slept next to Gin even if it turns out I'm gay, and it's not like it means anything."

"You did sleep with her, and I didn't need the reminder of that," Sev said, but then again, the way he did that, surely, it was a joke from his part, and that made Harry smile back without a second thought now.

"I won't look if that's your problem," he told the Potion Master now teasing, but he missed the target.

"Oh, I'd do much more than just look, I guarantee you, Harry..." but then, he didn't go downstairs, pretending to be cordial to Harry, which was great. In fact, he may have wanted to tempt Harry my pulling him closer under the covers...

But time traveling was a tiring business, and Harry fell asleep.

In the morning though, when Harry woke up, and he was still there, next to Severus, his first thought was slight panic, thinking he might not have the time now to take up the wizard on the offer he made to Harry.

And that made Harry think he wanted Severus badly the whole time, so he woke up the Potion Master with a kiss.

"Change of heart or still asleep?"

"You did say Ginny left me pure on one count, and you'd be happy to-" Harry just noted, but was already pushed down by a very _awake_ and willing Snape on top of him, and...

As it turned out, they had time for it. Once Harry finally had to return, a faint smile was still lingering on his lips, which only turned to a grin the next day when he went to visit his Severus, and that version only eyed him with irritation, now definitely much younger again.

"What do you want, Potter?"

Thing is, Harry just smiled. He probably just got a glimpse of what he wanted, didn't he?

"I think I now need to feed you even more, that you're still a growing boy," Harry just said, probably making Sev consider at least Sectumsempra for a minute, but then he quickly added. "So I'm taking you out for dinner."

A door slammed on his face only made Harry think no matter how understanding and open Severus could be in the future, he still very much liked the petty version of the wizard as well.

"Are you getting dressed? Because I'm not going away until you agree to come with me," Harry added to the closed door.

"Just so you know, I already have plans, Potter," Snape then opened the door again. "On my trial, my godson appeared and kindly invited me to come over-"

"Are we at the stage we're visiting each other's families together now?" Harry joked.

"You wish," Snape just snarled at him, now on the verge of closing his door again.

But he did feel it was necessary to tell Harry he was about to go somewhere else, and not leave him by simply Flooing to the Manor, right? He cared if Harry knew why he had to decline the date, maybe to have a chance in the future to get one again?

Maybe that was just wild speculation, though, Harry still high on his own future, but even if it wasn't, he should make the wizard think that way in said future, at least.

"I do, actually," so he just said, enjoying the expression of Sev to that.

"Did you get laid or something, Potter?" the Potion Master asked, but probably was rhetorical only, because passing that, he added. "But I'm not taking you to your arch enemy's house without a warning whatsoever..."

"You're right," Harry said, making the wizard stare at him again in disbelief, but Sev was right. He didn't want to appear unannounced in Draco Malfoy's house, reformed or not. "Maybe some other time."

"Why would you want to go at all?" Severus, however, eyed him strangely. He did seem to notice even the small changes of Harry just as Harry realized it wasn't his Sev in the future either.

"You got to see my godson, it's only fair, don't you think? And now we're all the same age, and we should-"

"Mentally we are definitely not, and I'm now going to be late," Sev just said, but this time, he only closed the door on Harry, not slammed it. Harry wondered if there is a preserving charm on the thing, with all the wear it was getting. 

But that meant Severus kept it opening from time to time and... he had a new-found assurance of how that was a good start.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teenager Sev, what could go wrong?
> 
> Thank you all my darling readers, for your support!
> 
> XOXO

Kingsley Fire-Called and Harry was half out the door when Ginny's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You know he almost died and has now teenager hormones again, don't you?" she just asked, appearing in a robe, while from her room a very big (huge, really) and muscular guy was escaping in the background, and it only made Harry wonder why she ever dated him.

"I take it your morning is much better than mine?" Harry just wondered, making her smile.

" _As it should be._ But I also couldn't help but overhear that Severus was arrested, and I don't want you to barge in there with your emotions racing, Harry. You're probably only angry at him because you're worried about him."

"Well, if so, I must care for him very much, because I'm so mad I could just-"

"So, back to my comment stating Severus almost died just recently, then almost got sent to Azkaban and he's back to a teenager again, with raging hormones, arguably, and you aren't helping him with that either, so just consider-" Ginny listed, but the Boy-Who-Lived couldn't listen much longer, he promised Kingsley to be there ASAP.

"Oh, I am considering all right," Harry assured her. "Contemplating all the ways I could punish Sev for acting not just a teenager but as a wizard lunatic enough to commit a wizarding crime and be caught by the Aurors!"

"He was only at Knockturn to get some Potion Ingredients, and probably just got to this illegal dueling club as a bystander dragged along with the crowd, Harry, Kingsley just did say he wasn't going to press charges and called you, after all," she said, giving Harry a kiss through the room while she was reaching into their fridge and Harry was opening the door to leave.

Next thing Harry knew, his boss was making him sign Sev's release papers while stating:

"He was most definitely _not_ just a bystander, Harry, you need to control him."

"I'm not sure if you have met the wizard, Kingsley, but to say he can be controlled by anyone when the Dark Lord himself couldn't do that..."

"Well, you are definitely not as boring as you were a couple of months ago," Gary just appeared, leading Snape with his hand in magical handcuffs, and Sev's wand in Gary's hand as it was protocol until the release papers were considered to take an effect.

"Because rescuing people from prison makes me all the much more fun," Harry just rolled his eyes, but Gary's face just lit up.

"No, that you did before, like with the Malfoys. But rescuing your _time-traveling teenage boyfriend_ while rumor has it Ginevra is dating other wizards again does," he just told Harry, who couldn't wait for Sev to be free again so they can leave.

Harry and Severus have gone out together to even public regularly now, but Harry still felt somewhat uncomfortable Sev being around his workplace. 

Maybe that was because Gary was a classical a-hole, after all.

"I'll let you know, I did time-travel, but not to appear so young, that was all my unbelievable Potion Skills mere mortals can't even comprehend," Sev just mumbled to Gary, which made Harry note.

"Severus, are you _drunk_?"

Well, what could be worse than joining and illegal Dark Arts duel and being caught by the magical authorities? 

Doing it while Sev wasn't even sober.

"Not that it matters," Severus just told Harry now, leaning closer than he should have. "Since there is no danger, not even like this, that you'd take advantage of me."

"Uh-oh, Harry, should we get you two a room?" Gary just asked, enjoying the situation way too much for Harry's taste.

But Severus wasn't helping the situation either, adding to Gary's comments.

"Only if you think nothing is going to happen because Harry won't probably have sex in the next 10 years if he continues to-"

"I can have sex tomorrow, with someone who is over 18, I'll let you know," Harry said, now making both Gary and Kingsley stare, but also Sev, just from the Potion Master, it was a completely different look.

"Well, go ahead, then, what are you waiting for?"

Safe to say, it was the least fun of a release Harry ever witnessed, after that, and he was working as an Auror, so he'd seen plenty.

He'd already taken Sev back to Hogwarts and give him a sobering potion when he managed to say.

"It's not that I want to be with strangers, Sev, it's just-"

"I made a mistake by trying to elongate my life, didn't I?" this Sev was much less cheerful than the drunken one, thinking maybe too hard about his problems now. "I thought I could have it all: the years lost back and you as well, but it turns out-"

"You'll have me, in the future, Hermione confirmed that quite spectacularly, even telling Ginny about it before she ever told me," Harry quickly said.

"But I thought you could accept me in any way like no one could. And turns out your preferences are just the polar opposites as it is usual-"

"That I'm not attracted to not even legal-"

"That you prefer me old and wrinkled rather than-"

"That I prefer _you_?" Harry just asked. He was tired of fighting this particular issue already, but also unable to give Sev what he now stated he wanted from Harry ever so often.

That made Severus at least fall silent and then say.

"Well, thank you for rescuing me, now you can leave."

"Just don't get arrested again," Harry tried to balance on not arguing, yet still trying to make Sev see how it might feel good to let loose after the gruesome war a bit, but getting arrested was too much, but to that Severus just noted.

"I'll try to not get caught, but I'm not stopping the duels. It keeps pushing me to my limit and I can use the distraction if you won't even have me."

"You have done this before?" Harry found himself almost gaping, yet on some level, he wasn't even surprised. "And you're basically threatening to do it again if I don't sleep with you?"

"I am not, I just simply would like you to understand," Sev, thankfully, didn't get angry in return just to shout back at him untrue things to fuel the fire as he once surely would have.

"You can't take some Ageing Potion, perhaps?" Harry wondered, wishing it would be so easy, but guessing it wasn't because Severus surely would have taken the said Potion if it was all they were missing.

"You can only use the De-Ageing Potion once, once you take the permanent form, and you develop a resistance against the ingredients, which are-"

"The same as the Ageing Potion," Harry summed up. It sucked. He had the wizard he wanted by his side, and he wanted him back, but not in the form and shape Sev was in, Harry couldn't…

"Just give me your word you won't change your mind about dating me by the time I'm finally older?" Sev just sighed, sitting down, showing his insecurities in front of Harry, which was in itself huge, even if their day started Harry signing for Severus' release.

"You'll get sick of me sooner than I of you," Harry just said, because… it's not like he ever had illusions about Severus being into Dark Magic, and since it was illegal, any duels using it were condemned to be illegal, even if one was simply trying to practice magic - and not just the official, Hogwarts curriculum, but maybe even older spells, just as well spells invented by the duelers.

"It's a challenge, then?" Sev just asked, arching an eyebrow almost comically at Harry.

Who would have given a ton of Galleons to travel ahead a little in time now, just so that he could kiss the Potion Master without any unease for that sentence.

He didn't know time-travel was not out yet of his life as he thought it was, and how he will not welcome it at all as he mused he would.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic derailed at some point, so I decided to finish it in 4 chapters I'm going to post today, instead of elongating it and not going anywhere.
> 
> Hopefully, this solution isn't disappointing for you guys!
> 
> I love you all and appreciate every positive feedback you always showered me with! You're all the best!
> 
> XOXO

Harry was not so coincidentally on a date with Severus, which for some reason contained Sev cursing Harry to pieces, but since it's also meant the Potion Master did his duels with Harry, so he didn't participate in illegal duels at Knockturn, Harry supposed it was okay.

When Ron suddenly appeared, it was almost a relief, Harry given some time to recover a quite nasty itching spell, as well as repairing some broken shelves of his home he didn't have time for while the magical fight lasted.

"Ron, mate, how are you?" Harry only turned, and Ron smiled back at him.

"Good enough," Ron patted Harry on the back but looked around in the sort of destroyed space with a pause. "Did you get angry at Ginny or something?"

"Ginny? We get along better since our breakup, it's actually Severus here who-" Harry turned to gesture at Sev to tell Ron what was about, but when he turned, the Potion Master was gone. Strange, but it's not as if Harry was surprised.

Sev still didn't excel in mundane every day and polite conversations, and if he'd rather Apparate away then to talk with Ron Weasley, Harry Potter's best friend.

"Are you talking about _Snape,_ mate?" Ron eyed him strangely. "I know his hospitalization shook you, but Harry, you need to let it go, the wizard can only blame himself, you tried everything to help him after you saved him from the snake, and he still wanted more of you."

Harry then already knew. It could have been a misunderstanding, a sort of cruel joke, or anything but he knew.

Severus disappeared not because he left suddenly, but because someone changed the timeline. Again!

Harry probably only remembered because either he had more magic than most, or because he had moved through a time-manipulated portal twice before which was opened with his blood, or… maybe switching consciousness with his future self helped.

Or all of the above. But clearly, there was something amiss now.

"I need to talk to Hermione, Ron, do you know where she is?" Harry grabbed his cloak, his mind racing.

"Who?" Ron just eyed him, now almost worried. "Harry, mate, you're acting strange-"

"Your beloved wife, Ron," Harry tired, but his best friend just sighed.

"Her name is _Lavender,_ mate, and I don't appreciate you making fun of her, even if you never really liked her."

What the actual hidden Hel? Harry tried to calm, despite a panic-like feeling creeping up in the back of his mind.

How could so many things go so wrong so fast, without a warning? 

Harry would normally use Hermione's help, but if she wasn't around for some reason, Harry might need Ron's help, so he'd at least better not provoke him with the Lavender topic, he quickly decided.

"I… I actually like her more and more," Harry quickly said, patting Ron on the back, while already leading him back to the Floo. "But I just remembered, I have something urgent to do, otherwise Kingsley will skin me alive…"

He sincerely hoped at least Kingsley was still his boss, given the situation. In which universe wouldn't he be, right?

"Well, if I had a partner like Kinsley, I'd be a bit worried as well," Ron now smiled, as if happy Harry finally was making some sense.

Why would Kingsley be Harry's partner of all people?

But it wasn't the time to stare stupidly at Ron, especially not if Harry was the only one who remembered their supposed timeline, not to mention Hermione.

Harry needed to find out where she'd gone, just as well as free Sev from the hospital, and reset this madness before he too, forgets.

After all, Hermione said Time used the smallest energy to correct the bumps in its flow, and if Harry's memories were different than the time he was in, it was a pretty big discordance to maintain, especially as more and more time passed between the change and his memories.


	21. Chapter 21

"Potter, the pain in my arse, is back," Sev, despite Harry's best hopes, didn't remember as Harry did. It felt so wrong to be "Potter" again, and seeing how Severus' posture tensed when he saw Harry approaching. "What can I do for the Savior of the Whole Wizarding World now, beside giving up the most of my life in order to-"

"I'm getting you out of here," Harry just said, tired of the insults, even if he didn't mind them lately if he knew Sev only used to flirt with him.

Now it was back to only insults again.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Potter. I promised myself the last time you dragged me anywhere was when I was dying and you brought me here, and that was only because I was too weak to resist," Snape said, his expression darkening, but then, his eyes went over Harry's head. "And look, famous Harry Potter can't even make an appearance somewhere without the Minister of Magic himself coming after him?"

Harry was expecting a lot of things, but not when Gary appeared, with 4 wizards accompanying him, clearly his bodyguarding Aurors.

Which made Harry instinctively guess he needed to leave, and do it fast, even if he didn't yet understand a thing in this strange, new version of his world.

But he couldn't leave Sev in Mungo as a mental patient, could he? The wizard didn't deserve that.

"Snape, you need to trust me just this once, I'm begging you. I'm willing to do anything, but you need to take my arm," Harry said, his eyes pleading the wizard, but Severus didn't move. "Please!"

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Gary walked straight up to them, smiling but… Harry knew his old partner's tells to realize the wizard was only smiling because he was pulling out his wand in a couple of the seconds.

In that short time, Harry commenced Apparation, and Sev, thank some gods or Fate, chose to grab his hand as he did.

So they stumbled at an Unplottable ground Harry chose to leave to, which hid them away for a while, but not if the Ministry took a look at Apparating permissions.

Gary was… Gary appeared the minute Harry went to Mungo's after he didn't even find a shred of evidence of Hermione Granger ever even being born, which meant… could he be behind this?

After all, if he was Minister of all the sudden, which was a pretty big jump on the Ministry's ladder to be just a lucky coincidence.

And attacking Harry for no reason, except that Harry went to see Sev, maybe indicating it to Gary that he remembered, so therefore he was a threat now for Gary's status quo.

But why on earth would Gary change the whole timeline just to get a Ministry position? 

It's not like he couldn't have gotten a Ministry title already if he had tried back in their old life anyway.

It wasn't Minister rank, but still perfectly reachable for someone like Gary, so it didn't add up.

Harry turned to check on Snape, expecting the wizard to be still shaky on his feet or angry at him or something, but as he turned, Severus just pulled him close and said.

"You did say anything if I came, so where is my price," he said, and then kissed Harry with such a force it was making the Boy-Who-Lived weak on the knees.

After all, this Sev seemed to be into him, and wasn't rejuvenated… Suddenly, it felt a tempting choice to make sure Gary never found them, and just live in this reality, with a Sev who was his real age and still trying to establish a connection with Harry.

But for one, Hermione was gone.

Two, Gary would eventually find them, Harry knew, because the other wizard was a pretty good Auror and spent time working with Harry, knowing too well Harry not to figure out his moves.

And third, Sev decided to get 20 years back, and Harry even if didn't agree with him, he respected the wizard's decision.

"As tempting as this is, we need to move. The Minister of Magic is messing with Time and will probably kill us, if he can," Harry tore himself from Sev, making the Potion Master say.

"Clearly you aren't my Potter since he was the one who got me locked up in the mental ward the last time I kissed him," Severus smirked at him. It was still strange, yet comforting when nothing else seemed to be the same.

At least, even if Sev wasn't the same, he was still the wizard Harry knew so many sides of, and still someone who was attracted to Harry, even if this other Harry condemned Snape for it.

"I'm sorry about that, and just for your information, _I don't mind,"_ Harry smiled back, trying to convey how he could kiss Snape all day long, should there be a need to. And other very tempting possibilities as well. But. "In fact, we are supposed to have a future together, with real marriage and everything, but my memories of that are no use if Gary catches us."

"Then trust me, I have an escape route that not even Voldemort could have tracked if I chose to use that," now it was Sev's turn to hold out an arm for him. "And, do we also have kids in this other time you talk about?"

"I'm… it didn't occur to me to ask," Harry mumbled, thinking hard. 

He didn't even ask future Severus when they talked, but given it was another version of the Potion Master who bought the topic up, did Harry's future Sev possibly want any kids?

"Don't sweat it, Potter, I was just wondering," Severus seemed almost entertained when he took them away.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things with Harry and Sev in this story never change? 
> 
> XOXO

Harry and Severus had to move around a lot, to avoid detection, not unlike when the Golden Trio traveled a lot on the Horcrux hunt, trying to defect Voldemort as well as Death Eaters.

Harry managed to find Hermione's parents, but they weren't together. 

Hermione's mom became depressed when she didn't choose to become a dentist, rather a researcher, and the cure she developed made patients' lives worse rather than better, killing some, and left Hermione's father before they could have a child.

So, it wasn't a question Harry had to go back there and try to find out more.

"I'm coming with you," Severus, one day just said, when Harry was memorizing both Muggle and Wizarding Newspapers of the past to help him if he traveled back to set everything right.

But, he never intended to take Sev.

"If I take you, you might not change back to the Severus you're supposed to be," Harry would have just dismissed the idea, but the other wizard just gave him a look.

"I happen to like myself the way I am."

Harry paused because this Sev was hospitalized because of him. Even if Harry didn't even do any such thing! And the wizard would stay like this…

"No way," he just told the Potion Master. "You'd thank me later if you became yourself again, believe me."

"I don't remember needing your permission to do whatever I choose to," however, there was resistance on Sev's part.

So much so, that Harry tried to open the time-port with his blood in the middle of the night, just that he could leave Severus, but the wizard not only as awake but came straight after him.

Then, he refused Harry's every attempt to send him back.

And since there was no way of knowing how much their mission was going to take, Harry started to not fight Sev staying so much.

After all, Harry was not only in a different timeline, but also in the past, and the only familiar face he had around was only the Potion Master's.

How they ended up having sex first was a mystery despite how Harry was determined not to do it - by that time they had lived together in a one-room apartment in Muggle London, and Severus wasn't helping Harry out either coming on strong.

Not so much later, when Harry caught a glace of Gary of all people in the past where he most definitely wasn't supposed to be, Harry almost felt regret.

Not because he had slept with Sev, but because he couldn't anymore. 

If everything worked out and Sev became young again, and maybe even lost his memories as time recorrected… then what?

But, Gary noticed him, and soon they were dueling each other.

"Why?" Harry just asked in the middle of a curse shattering around him as he shielded, because clearly, whether or not his mind did comprehend how Gary was indeed behind of this all, it was clear he was.

Gary had heard about the time-travel as Sev was arrested, probably, maybe Kingsley being careless, maybe Sev too drunk, and then, if Harry could break into Hermione's desk to take the Time Turner, so could Gary, easily.

"Like it matters," Gary sent a curse, but he missed.

"It does to me!" Harry yelled, taking shelter behind a Muggle trash can.

"Well, I had enough. I was bored. Being the partner of the famous boy hero, no matter what I did, nobody was talking about my good work or the lack of thereof. All everyone was concerned about was Harry Potter, who doesn't even have the guts to kill me now."

Harry knew he should stop Gary from getting to Hermione's mom, because it was necessary, yet he wasn't a killer either, and really hoped he could just stun Gary.

But, what if that meant Harry was playing with Hermione's life?

He only hesitated for one second but was hit because of it, and just when he lost, and Gary was coming toward him with a cruel smile, Harry preparing for the worst, Severus appeared.

He hit Gary from the behind before he could hurt Harry, then took the Time-Turner, and squatted next to Harry.

"Are you okay?"

By the time Harry got up, still holding his side, Sev got young again, the TT still in his hand, and Gary still unconscious on the ground, when…

Unspeakables appeared, led by Hermione, who just threw her arms around Harry, and they were all dragged back to the future.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!!! 
> 
> XOXO

Harry could only visit Severus when the Ministry let him go, hours later. They had to document the unauthorized Time Travel painfully slow and detailed, making Harry busy while they let Sev go.

"So, you're young again," he told the teenage-looking Sev without a hello when the Potion Master opened the door to his quarters. "And I could really use a drink or a dozen if you would like to come with."

This time, not only Sev didn't shut the door on his face, but they were in a Muggle club quite soon enough.

"I… you know, I remember. Everything. I have both the other Severus' memories and mine," Severus only mentioned watching the dance floor much later. "And you… you truly find me attractive, even if I'm twice your age."

Harry almost laughed but knew better, if he didn't want to hurt Sev's feelings, so he just nodded.

"I'm glad you do remember. I have been trying to tell you."

"Then, how much longer do I have to wait to-?"

"I don't know. Just give me a bit of time," Harry asked the wizard. "Until then-"

"We can pretend it didn't already happen between us? That you're wouldn't want me if you had to be on top?" it was almost unbelievable how crude Severus was, turning some heads in the club but pointedly ignoring them.

"I… I know from someo- I know from somewhere we wouldn't have sex for a couple of years, Se-" Harry muttered, because that was what older Sev told him.

And even if he knew this Severus wasn't really 17, and therefore was okay, and now more than ever he was pulled to this wizard, he still couldn't just risk their future, their _marriage_ for Merlin's sake by having sex with Sev too early.

What if it wasn't supposed to happen just yet, and this would disrupt everything Harry wanted? 

He couldn't deal with that possibility now when by some miracle they managed to correct the time and safely return, and it could happen so easily.

"YEARS, you have to be kidding me!" Severus, of course, didn't at all appreciated the news. In fact, he grabbed Harry's wrist and started to drag him outside. "And, this is when I lost the very last grain of my patience!"

In fact, he was kissing Harry deep and relentlessly by the time they got to the closest Apparation point, and only Apparated them back to Harry's, where…

"Busy evening is what we're having, aren't we?" Ginny just noted, surprising them, talking from the sofa, a magical magazine in her hands. "But could you two do me a favor and go to Harry's room before anyone enters anyone?"

It could have been really awkward, yet she was wickedly grinning at them, which was as good as a blessing from her part, and Harry was so thankful he could have hugged her if he wasn't otherwise occupied, by Sev.

Who just laughed into Harry's ear, never stopping his motions, but noting.

"If you need any potions, Ginevra darling, I owe you a lifetime supply."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ginny just answered in the background, but by that time, Harry and Sev passed Harry's door, and soon were in his bed.

"Sev, I need to tell you. I… was in the future, and your older self did say we weren't supposed to have sex for-" Harry said when he had a couple of seconds without Severus kissing him - when the wizard was taking off Harry's clothes.

"I don't care. I trust we'll become a couple, even like this, and if he told you otherwise, he was lying."

It felt so good to have Sev finally trust both of them so much, Harry didn't need any convincing at that moment, but only got up in the morning, worried when Severus wasn't next to him. 

He shouldn't have bothered his nerves, though. 

When he managed to get up, take a shower, and appear in the kitchen, there was Sev, along with Ginny, and Hermione, talking and laughing.

"Harry!" Ginny was the first to notice him. "We were just talking about you. Hoping you could do some _deliciously magical breakfast_ for all of us, in fact."

Harry found himself smiling. It was much better to cook for people who appreciated his effort, unlike the Dursleys.

"I only came to tell you the good news, Harry," Hermione mentioned. "But I must admit, if you could provide me with some breakfast as well, I'd be grateful, I have a long day ahead of me."

"What news?" Harry wondered, reaching for the pan in the cupboard, already having some ingredients on the counter.

"This Time-Travelling misery is over. Our timeline is without the hole, now, and back in it's supposed order, so the Time Turner will be forever destroyed, this time for real, so you don't have to worry about it anymore," she said, smiling. "And, you'll get a different partner at work, actually, I'm told."

Harry wondered who will it be this time. As long as it's not someone trying to kill him, it should be working out okay, he supposed.

"So Gary's arrest was the final piece of the puzzle we had to complete then?" he asked.

"Whatever you did last night was," Ginny said pointedly, winking at Severus now, making Harry blush.

"It couldn't have been-" Harry tried to hide his embarrassment by trying to concentrate on his cooking.

"It was. Unstable Time, right until the morning," Hermione, however, confirmed it, not helping at all.

"You hear that? It was supposed to happen," young Sev just smiled at Harry smugly. "My older self maybe just lied trying to not freak you out."

Harry just laugh and lean over the table to kiss him briefly on the lips.

"If it was that, it worked pretty well," he told Sev, who just had a reply to that, without a pause.

"So, tomorrow we adopt a kid or Teddy as our own, then? Or is it too early for that just yet? You didn't tell my other self that you didn't want any kids, after all, so I'm guessing-"

"Merlin, your face, Harry! He's just joking," Ginny laughed because Harry was freaked out by the speed Sev was going, probably illustrating how and why the other Sev in the future had to use a white lie on him.

Well, he did know Harry the best, didn't he? Even if he was, for now, an annoying teenager who-

"But I'm not entirely joking, just about the timing," Severus got up to seemingly pour himself a cup of coffee to start the morning with, but whispering to Harry when Hermione was now telling Ginny about the new accountant the Ministry had, with Ginny feigning interest and probably listening in to Sev's and Harry's conversation, probably.

"We'll talk about it later. When it's just the two of us," Harry just said, but Sev's reply was ready.

"Or, we could do much more than talking, in said situation. Maybe something similar like yesterday?"

"How similar are we talking about?" Harry just grinned back now, as if he was the teenage one out of them now, not Severus.

"Eerily similar, I'd say," Sev stated with confidence.

"You guys are both disturbed and cute," Ginny just noted. "But chop-chop, breakfast won't be served faster if you keep on flirting."

Sev might have gone redder this time than Harry, which was so new and adorable Harry could barely concentrate on preparing the said foods himself while Severus was there as well, blushing.

They still had their whole future ahead of them, didn't they, though? So there should be plenty of time to see Sev bewildered a bit, but not if Ginny would curse them both for delaying her breakfast any longer.

_fin_


End file.
